Open AccessModeling the hydrological cycle on Mars
Author(s) -
Machtoub G.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of advances in modeling earth systems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.03
H-Index - 58
ISSN - 1942-2466
DOI - 10.1029/2011ms000069
Subject(s) - mars exploration program , water cycle , martian , environmental science , climatology , water vapor , atmospheric sciences , general circulation model , gcm transcription factors , tropics , climate model , geology , meteorology , astrobiology , climate change , geography , ecology , physics , biology , oceanography , fishery
The study provides a detailed analysis of the hydrological cycle on Mars simulated with a newly developed microphysical model, incorporated in a spectral Mars General Circulation Model. The modeled hydrological cycle is compared well with simulations of other global climate models. The simulated seasonal migration of water vapor, circulation instability, and the high degree of temporal variability of localized water vapor outbursts are shown closely consistent with recent observations. The microphysical parameterization provides a significant improvement in the modeling of ice clouds evolved over the tropics and major ancient volcanoes on Mars. The most significant difference between the simulations presented here and other GCM results is the level at which the water ice clouds are found. The model findings also support interpretation of observed thermal anomalies in the Martian tropics during northern spring and summer seasons.